‘With Snow Leopards’Small Grant Call for Proposals
1. Background
The Snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is a charismatic apex predator, listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The snow leopard range spans twelve countries in Asia, encompassing vast landscapes where the species co-exists with human communities. This large range across rugged mountain habitat combined with the snow leopard’s low population density represent a challenge to researchers and conservationists. The nature and level of threats and their impacts on snow leopards and mountain ecosystems vary among different parts of its regions. Climate change is an overarching threat that remains poorly understood. The ‘With Snow Leopards’ Small Grants Program seeks to promote snow leopard research and conservation to address this knowledge gap.
2. About the ‘With Snow Leopards’ Small Grant Program
The ‘With Snow Leopards’ Small Grant (SLSG) is a new grant program initiated in 2022 by Tencent Foundation and Shan Shui Conservation Center, and supported by the Amity Foundation, HUATAI Foundation and Peking University Center for Nature and Society. The grant program provides financial support and promotes snow leopard research and conservation across the snow leopard range.
The grant program is competitive. Project proposals are reviewed by a panel of wildlife research and conservation experts. The selection process is based on the merit of the applications and their potential to contribute to snow leopard research, conservation or capacity building at the local level.
Snow leopard
3. Aim of the ‘With Snow Leopards’ Small Grant
In 2022, SLSG will support 1-2 projects addressing the following themes:
Theme A: Snow leopard research and conservation knowledge/technology sharing, in the form of training modules, conferences, workshops, webinars etc. The events should aim at sharing tools, experiences, knowledge, skills etc., that are related to snow leopard research and conservation. Expected outputs include knowledge products such as conservation manuals, handbooks and online toolkits.
Theme B: Public educational programs to promote snow leopard conservation and research. This can include but not limited to school/youth education programs, mass/social media campaigns, trainings etc. Expected outputs include the number of children/adults/stakeholders trained and the development of educational materials.
Theme C: Research projects that address critical questions related to snow leopard ecology and conservation. This can include but not limited to projects related to snow leopard prey species, inter-specific relationships with potentially competing carnivore species, key threats, human-snow leopard conflicts, evaluating conservation programs etc. Expected outputs include research results and reports.
The proposal must cover at least one of the above-mentioned themes. Projects in PFA3 (Nepal and India) and PFA4 (Afghanistan and Pakistan) will be prioritized for funding, but projects outside of these areas are also welcome to apply (See map below).
2022-2023 SLSG Priority Funding Area，PFA
reference：Li, J. , Weckworth, B. V., Mccarthy, T. M., Liang, X. , & Beissinger, S. R. . (2020). Defining priorities for global snow leopard conservation landscapes. Biological Conservation, 241.
4. Grant Size
Selected projects will be awarded between CNY50,000-CNY100,000 (~USD7,500-USD15,000).
The proposed project duration should not exceed 12 months and the project end date should be no later than September 2023.
5. Who can apply?
SLSG identifies organizations (include non-profit organizations, social groups, research institutions, etc.) as the primary grantee. Any organization that wishes to apply for SLSG must be:
a) legally registered for more than one year;
b) legally allowed to independently sign a contract with the Amity Foundation and accept fund from China;
c) experienced in snow leopard research/conservation and/or other endangered wildlife species;
d) proficient in using English as the language of communication with Chinese partners, delivering outputs and writing project reports and financial reports.
Please note that this call for proposals focusses on countries outside China. A separate procedure is in place for applicants in China.
Please contact Shan Shui Conservation Center (contact@shanshui.org) for further information.
6. Proposal Submission
Proposals (written in English) must be submitted electronically as a single word file to the SLSG (atp.asia@amity.org.cn).
Proposals will be considered if received before 21st August, 2022 (GMT+8 12.00pm). Applications that do not use the forms attached in the appendix will not be considered.
a) Project Proposal form (Appendix);
b) The registration document of your organization (An English Copy is needed);
c) The latest annual report of your organization (An English Copy is needed).
7. Timeline
[By Aug 21 GMT+8 12.00pm] Submit Proposal;
[Aug 22-Mid Sep] Proposals reviewed by experts;
[Late Sep-Oct] Proposals selected for funding will be announced and sign contract with Amity Foundation (Funds will be available for disbursement within 10 workdays from signing the contract);
[By Sep 2023] Grantees submit final reports.
8. Contact
SHU Junsong, The Amity Foundation
E-mail: atp.asia@amity.org.cn
9. About the organizations
Tencent Foundation: Founded in 2007, it is the first public welfare foundation initiated by an Internet company in China. As “Creating and connecting to a better world” as its vision, Tencent Foundation is committed to promoting science and technology for the greater good, leveraging philanthropy to lead sustainable social innovation.
The Amity Foundation: Founded in 1985, The Amity Foundation is an independent Chinese social organization works to promote education, public health, social welfare, community development, environmental protection, disaster relief and other philanthropic undertakings in China and other parts of the world.
HUATAI Foundation: HUATAI Foundation was initiated by HUATAI Securities and foremost focuses on the projects of rural revitalization, environmental protection, science education, and talent development support in public welfare field.
Peking University Center for Nature and Society: Founded in 2008, Peking University’s Center for Nature and Society is committed to conducting long-term monitoring and research in the field of natural science, applied conservation and sustainable development.
Shan Shui Conservation Center: Founded in 2007, Shan Shui Conservation Center is a Chinese NGO dedicated to species and ecosystem conservation.
Special thanks to Snow Leopard Network for their support and help.
